The Studio
by Unsaid Goodbyes
Summary: “Shoots I can handle,” She sighed, “Interviews…are a waste of time.” Shiki made a grunt of agreement, looking out his window. An exercise in character. RimaxShiki. IC as possible.


A/N: This is basically just an exercise for me with characters, because I need to learn to be more in character. Plus, the characters from **Vampire** **Knight** are easier to work with, because they have a more _set_ character than **Twilight** characters. At least, in my opinion. So this has no plot, at all. It's basically just a look into the everyday life of Rima and Shiki, and seeing the full depth of their relationship. So, onto the one-shot…

Summary: "Shoots I can handle," She sighed, "Interviews…are a waste of time." Shiki made a grunt of agreement, looking out his window. An exercise in character. RimaxShiki. IC as possible.

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**Title: **The Studio

**Rating: **T

**Authors: **Breathless Tomb

One-Shot

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

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"Have a good time at the shoot," said Ichijo, smiling happily. His ever green eyes sparkled and danced, his expression of pure glee. Shiki calmly gazed back, emotionless as always. But Shiki's lack of life did not put off Ichijo, who exuded the very brightest kid of joy. Ichijo never _had_ seemed very vampiric, having more human traits than even most _humans_ had.

"Sure," Shiki said, shrugging into his long green pea coat. Rima already stood ready outside the door of the Night Class dormitory, her umbrella open. She wore the very same coat as Shiki, though hers appeared more feminine. The casual, bored expression that matched Shiki's was plastered on her face, her clear blue eyes obviously impatient.

"The car is here Shiki," She said in her quiet voice, "It's time for us to go." Shiki nodded, turning back to Ichijo. A small smile graced his features, something very rare to see on Shiki. Ichijo returned his smile with an even bigger grin, waving as Shiki joined Rima under the open umbrella.

"Goodbye Ichijo," The two models said simultaneously. Shiki shut the door behind him. Rima and Shiki silently walked to the limousine, the epitome of boredom. Rima took one of Shiki's hands in her own, keeping a firm grip on it. Shiki glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his expression never changing.

The chauffeur opened the door for them, Rima sliding in first before Shiki took a seat next to her. They were alone in the back of the car, with a soft song playing from the speakers. Rima groaned lowly, resting her free hand against her forehead.

"Nervous?" Shiki asked, not looking at her. The car had begun to move now, gentle vibrations rattling the two young vampires. Rima laid her head against the cool window, the frost from the snow helping her head relax. The headache that had started to irritate her was nearly gone, though there was a slight throbbing at the back of her head.

"Shoots I can handle," She sighed, "Interviews…are a waste of time." Shiki made a grunt of agreement, looking out his window. Trees were rolling by, exposing a snowy countryside. Icicles dangled from the sparse pines, glimmering from the sun. Shiki cringed away from the light. He hated having to go out during the daytime, acting like he didn't mind it. But, for the sake of appearance, he'd have to endure it.

"Are you hungry?" He asked her. Rima shook her head, reaching into her coat pocket and pulling out a fresh, unopened box of Pocky. She gave him a nearly nonexistent grin.

"I brought snacks. Just in case."

They spent the rest of the drive in silence, with Rima dozing off at one point. Shiki shifted her body, so that she was lying against him instead of the hard, metal door. He petted her hair down, knowing how sensitive Rima was with her hair. She curled up against his side. Seeing his friend sleeping peacefully slowly lulled him into a deep slumber.

Their mellifluous snores echoed through the limousine. Time passed before the car finally came to a half, effectively awakening Rima and Shiki. Rima glanced around in confusing for a moment before realization crossed her eyes. She took Shiki's hand again as they got out of the car.

"They remember our specific requests?" Rima asked nonchalantly. Shiki thought for a second as they were escorted into the studio.

"You mean the requirement that we only model together?"

"Yes, that one."

"They're fully aware of it," Shiki assured her, "I made sure." Once they'd arrived inside the studio, Shiki and Rima were instructed to take off their jackets and shoes. Rima nodded to Shiki as she was taken to her personal changing room. Several professional-looking women stood in the room, their hair and make-up done to perfection. They regarded Rima in awe, recognizing her from various other shoots.

"Toya-san, welcome," A tall woman with cropped blonde hair greeted, smiling widely. Rima gazed up drowsily, still not completely awake. The other girls were a bit unnerved by the doll-like girl, with her uninterested blue eyes. They were also a bit insulted, figuring Rima should've been slightly gracious.

"Hello," Rima said, looking off, a hundred years away. When she noticed how awkwardly the other girls were standing around, she added, "Well? Are we going to start or not?" Suddenly there was a rush of activity, with everyone dashing off to get the shoot ready. The tall blonde woman offered her hand to Rima.

"My name is Mei Tachibana. I will be the photographer for today," She motioned towards the many workers scattering about, "We chose the theme for this shoot. _Madness_." She seemed to be bursting with pride. Rima raised a single, thin eyebrow.

"Madness?" She repeated dryly. Mei nodded her head furiously.

"We—particularly I—wanted something vibrant and original. We wanted something that would shock our audiences; make their eyes pop out at the sight," She explained. Rima nodded absentmindedly.

A young girl with long, straight ebony hair and brown eyes scurried up to the pair, "Tachibana-san, Toya-san, we're ready to start on Toya-san's hair." Rima's expression suddenly twisted, her face cold and frightening to everyone who watched. The raven-haired girl flinched back from the sudden ferocity.

Rima's words were cutting, "No one touches my hair." She glared sharply up at Mei, "I thought we agreed to this already?" There was a sneer forming on her delicate features. Mei's eyes widened fearfully.

"Yes, yes, of course Rima-sama. I'm so sorry," She apologized. Mei glowered at the clueless girl, "Kiku! Get back to work! Toya-san's make-up should already be underway. No one shall touch her hair." The young girl—Kiku—ran off, nearly in tears. There was no remorse on Rima's now expressionless face. Only boredom.

"I see your staff is quite incompetent," She said indifferently to Mei, "How dreadful." Mei glanced around the room, a bright blush lighting up her face. Rima's lips twitched up into a small smirk, but she mercifully dropped the subject. Two new girls came into the area, leading Rima away into the make-up room.

They were quick, with skilled sweeps of the eye shadow and lipstick. Rima closed her eyes and relaxed, following instructions as protocol. Having gotten used to this years ago, she simply enjoyed the feeling of being beautified. She could still hear the humans scuttling about, but it was faint in her semi-conscious state. She'd perfected drowning out the noise around her from when she was only a child.

"Toya-san, we're ready for you in wardrobe," said a shy voice. Rima cracked open an eyelid, heavy from the make-up. She sighed, getting up. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, appeased that they hadn't caked her face in products, as they had at the last photo shoot. There was a fine dusting of maroon eye shadow on her eyelids, and she was happy to see that her ginger-blonde hair had remained untouched.

"Toya-san, did you hear me?" asked the timid voice again. Rima turned to see Kiku standing at the door, her eyes wary. Instantly, Rima was irritated again; the memories of before running through her head. She nodded stiffly, following Kiku into the changing room.

Minutes after Rima had finished dressing, she regarded her reflection for the second time in the full-body mirror. She had on a red and black corset top, the laces tied tightly. She looked like she'd been plucked straight out of a demented fairy tale, a small top hat even adorning her head. She wore a matching puffy red skirt, with black lace, a pair of garnet flats on her feet.

Kiku led her into the studio room, where the giant lights and various backgrounds were being set up. Shiki was already there, dressed to impress in black slacks and a maroon dress shirt that matched his hair. Atop his head was a top hat very similar to Rima's, but his was grey. Rima glided to where he stood, looking utterly bored out of his mind.

"Hello," She said softly. Shiki smiled down at her.

"Fancy," He commented on her attire. Rima grimaced, pulling at the strings on her corset. She felt very strange in this odd outfit, almost as if she were in the body of an entirely different person. She didn't like the feeling very much.

"I'm just glad that they opted out of making me wear those three inch heels," She muttered. A short laugh escaped Shiki's lips at her words, but soon they were off in their own world again, the both of them staring off into space. They were called to order a few minutes later by Mei, who began to order them what to do.

"Rima, I want you to lean against Shiki, with your head rolled a bit back." Rima quickly complied, "And Shiki, I want you to wrap your arm around Rima's waist. Remember, _intimate_. That's the key word." Once Shiki and Rima were in position, camera flashes went off.

This went on for quite a few hours, with many outfit changes along with different poses. While Mei was a bit disappointed with the lack of emotions on Shiki and Rima's faces, she couldn't deny the beauty and grace they radiated in each captured image. They were unlike any other model she'd ever seen in her career. But, their apathy intimidated her, so Mei was unsure if she'd ever ask to work with them again.

"Well, that's a wrap folks," Mei called out happily. Shiki and Rima left to go change back into the clothes they'd come in with, refusing to take any of the used outfits as parting gifts. Rima did keep the make-up on though, liking the style and texture.

"Is it time for our interview?" She muttered when she caught up with Shiki. He sighed, nodding. The interview—with yet _another_ human gossip magazine—was still also in the studio, though on a lower floor. The two vampires took the elevator, with a number of the agency's workers following them. Rima's eyes tightened in annoyance by the persistent humans. She was tired and wanted to return to the Academy.

"Hello Shiki and Toya-san," gushed a thin brunette woman, clad in designer clothing, once they'd gotten off the elevator, "Sit down here please. We're ready to begin." The woman gestured to a large, plush couch. The two models took their seats, watching the rail-thin woman pat down her seat before sitting down. She smiled brightly, straining her face.

"My name is Hiroko Fukui, and I work for Life&Touch," She started, pulling out a small notepad with questions scribbled on it, "Due to popular demand, we would like to interview you two for our magazine, which you have agreed to. Do you mind if we record this also?" She pointed to a cameraman holding a rather large camcorder.

"Be our guest," Shiki said indifferently, lounging on the couch.

"Excellent," Hiroko grinned, "Let's begin. When did you two first start modeling?"

"We got into the business four years ago," Rima answered, her voice seemingly distracted.

"Ohh, child models," Hiroko seemed impressed, "How were you introduced to the modelling industry? Parents, friends, scouted?" For every answer Rima or Shiki gave, she wrote it down in her notebook, her eyes strangely hungry. Rima peeked over at Shiki, slightly nervous being around the lady. Hiroko didn't seem completely sane to her.

"My mother was well known, so I was scouted," Shiki said nonchalantly, casually throwing an arm over Rima's shoulders. She looked like she might just up and leave, regardless of their promise and signed contract.

"I was selected from over a thousand girls at an audition," Rima muttered. She spoke in an offhand voice, not bragging, but not being modest either. If people wanted to know how she'd gotten so successful, they would. She wasn't going to pretend to be bashful for the camera's sake.

"How many shoots have you done? Approximately?" Hiroko asked, lifting a carefully plucked eyebrow. Rima didn't like the look of her. She was very…fake. Plastic surgery, liposuction, caked make-up, dyed brown hair. It was all unnatural and quite disgusting. Hiroko obviously tried too hard. Rima debated for a moment. It would be fun to watch Hiroko's expression at the insults, but she preferred to _not_ have to deal with her manager afterwards. She sighed.

"Not sure. They come and go. I did like the shoot we did in June thought. Very blue." Rima allowed a tiny smile to ease onto her face, playing it up. Shiki muffled a snicker, seeing right through her fake cheeriness.

"And is it true you two attend school at Cross Academy?" She was met with two wordless nods, "And you're also students of the exclusive Night Class?"

"Yes," Rima said, looking away. Hiroko suddenly looked very interested, much more so than before, something Rima wasn't happy about.

"Could you possibly tell us _why_ the Night Class is so special?" Hiroko asked hesitantly, pinching her pen between two fingers. Rima noticed the long, talon-like nails on her, painted a shocking pink that nearly hurt her eyes to look at. Shiki gave a tight smile.

"The Night Class is rather exclusive for a reason," He said in a curt, impatient voice, "We can't go spread the secret around or it won't be special anymore. You understand." His smiled faded, replaced with coolness, "Now, if you don't mind, we must be going." Shiki and Rima stood abruptly up and left room, their movements lithe and nimble. Hiroko stared after them in shock.

"That went well," Rima mumbled under her breath as they got into the limo. Shiki nodded, pulling her close to him.

"I'm hungry," He said simply, "And irritated. Do you mind?" Rima shook her head, exposing her neck to him. Since no humans were watching, Shiki plunged his fangs into her, drinking in long gulps. Rima gasped, clenching her teeth. Though it was immensely painful to have the fangs pierce her neck, she couldn't deny the underlying pleasure that accompanied it.

"Senri," Rima pleaded, but the rest of her words never came out. Thankfully, Shiki understood, letting go of her. Rima panted for a minute, holding onto Shiki's forearm. He leaned down, licking the puncture wounds. Rima closed her eyes, leaning farther into Shiki. Her breathing began to even out, and Shiki immediately realized she was asleep.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, cradling her head. With a sigh, Shiki turned on the radio, music filling the air. Shiki's eyes fluttered shut, lulling himself to sleep. Images of a tall woman and top hats filled their dreams.

***

"Did you have fun?" Ichijo asked as the two models walked in through the double doors. He was standing in the exact same place he'd been in the early morning, as if he'd never left. His light blonde hair was even combed the same way, looking for the entire world as a talking statue. Rima blinked.

"No," Shiki said bluntly, his eyes half-lidded, "You?"

"I slept most of the day, and read some manga," Ichijo listed off, "But, speaking of sleeping, you two should hurry off to bed. Class starts in a few hours. You'll be exhausted if you don't catch a few more hours of sleep." Ichijo gave them a stern look—or at least, as stern as he could manage—pointing up the stairs.

"Yes mother," Rima rolled her eyes.

"Goodnight Vice-President," Shiki said.

And the two of them climbed the staircase hand-in-hand, leaving a dissatisfied Ichijo standing in the same place. He put his hands on his hips, pouting up at the two retreating figures. But there was still a small smile on his face.

"Upset Ichijo?" asked a voice from behind him. Ichijo spun around to see Kaname standing there with his hands in his pockets, a knowing smirk on his face. Ichijo smiled brightly.

"No more than usual."

Kaname's eyes flickered up to the top of the staircase, "You really shouldn't be too unhappy that they aren't more enthusiastic. It's the life of a model—no time for petty emotions." His smirk grew. Ichijo sighed, dropping his hands from his waist.

"I guess you're right," He admitted. Ichijo peered over at Kaname suspiciously, "Actually, you're _always_ right."

Kaname's smile faded slightly, "Not always, but most of the time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should be getting back to bed myself. Goodnight Ichijo." And then Kaname walked up the stairs, leaving a thoroughly confused Ichijo behind.

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A/N: There you go, the exercise is done. I notice my author notes in the beginning are always longer when I'm writing a **Vampire Knight** story, which is just strange. Since school has just started, you should know that I won't be writing nearly as often, so don't expect chapters and one-shots every other week, like I've been doing most of this summer. So, bye for now, I guess. Until I'm done whatever I want to do next!

--Breathless Tomb--


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